Overture Magazine - 2018-19 Season BSO_Overture_NOV_DEC | Page 26

HANDEL MESSIAH TZIGANE Maurice Ravel Born in Ciboure, France, March 7, 1875; died in Paris, December 28, 1937 The prowess of Romani instrumentalists gradually assumed legendary status even in the most aristocratic European musical circles. By the 18 th century, the Hungarian string tradition had become almost synonymous with Romani fiddling, and it became the rage in Vienna, followed by the rest of the continent. Even a traditional Germanic work such as Brahms’ Violin Concerto paid tribute to Romani style in its blazing “Gypsy rondo” finale. But tonight we turn to a Frenchman, Maurice Ravel, for a most extraordinary evocation of Hungarian-Romani violin playing in his Tzigane (the French word for “Hungarian Gypsy”). In July 1922, Ravel and attended a private musicale where the brilliant Hungarian-born violinist Jelly d’Arányi played his Sonata for Violin and Cello. Later in the evening, d’Arányi began playing some Romani melodies. Ravel was entranced and asked for more, and the music continued until 5 am. Two years later in 1924, memories of what he’d heard that night produced Tzigane. It was dedicated to Arányi, who gave its first performances in both its original violin-piano version and the orchestral arrangement. Tzigane opens as a piece for unaccompanied violin, as the soloist rhapsodizes alone on melodies that use the Hungarian “Gypsy scale”. Eventually, the harp and the rest of the orchestra join the violinist in a passionate dance melody. Along the way, we hear an astounding array of virtuoso techniques. Notice especially the bell-like passages in which the violinist plays glistening high harmonics against the orchestra’s woodwinds and also the intricate pizzicato sections. Instrumentation: Two flutes including piccolo, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two horns, trumpet, percussion, harp, celesta and strings. Notes by Janet E. Bedell, © 201 8 24 OV E R T U R E / BSOmusic.org JOSEPH MEYERHOFF SYMPHONY HALL Saturday, December 8, 2018, 8 pm Sunday, December 9, 2018, 3 pm Edward Polochick, conductor and harpsichord Jennifer O’Loughlin, soprano Diana Moore, mezzo-soprano Benjamin Butterfield, tenor Sidney Outlaw, bass Concert Artists of Baltimore Symphonic Chorale George Frideric Handel Messiah ed. Part I Watkins-Shaw INTERMISSION Part II Part III Maestro Ed Polochick will sign copies of his and the BSO's new Messiah CD in the lobby following both performances. The concert will end at approximately 10:30 pm on Saturday and 5:30 pm on Sunday. PRESENTING SPONSOR: Edward Polochick The current season marks Maestro Polochick’s 32 nd year as Artistic Director of Concert Artists of Baltimore. 2018–19 also marks his 21 st season as Music Director of Lincoln’s Symphony Orchestra in Nebraska. From 1979 – 99 he was on the staff of the Baltimore Symphony as Director of the Symphony Chorus, and since 1979 he has been at the Peabody Conservatory as Associate Conductor of the Orchestra, Director of Choral Ensembles and Opera Conductor. An accomplished pianist and harpsichordist, he has appeared as piano soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. Since winning the Leopold Stokowski Conducting Award and conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra, Polochick has attracted attention as an orchestral, operatic and choral conductor. He has appeared with ensembles including the Baltimore Symphony, Houston Symphony, Chautauqua Symphony, the Opera Company of Philadelphia, the Aalborg Symphony of Denmark, Omaha Symphony, Jacksonville Symphony, Daejeon Philharmonic in Korea, St. Petersburg Symphony in Russia and the State of Mexico Symphony Orchestra in Toluca, Mexico. Polochick resides in Baltimore, where he is often asked to share his knowledge and love of music at lecture series, adjudications and radio broadcasts. He received the Peggy and Yale Gordon Achievement Award, and in 2000 he was made an honorary member of the Baltimore Music Club. In 2002 he was awarded the Johns Hopkins University Distinguished Alumnus Award, one of only three Peabody alumni to be so honored. In 2003 – 04 he was named Baldwin Scholar at the College of Notre Dame of Maryland, where he